Cordless iron

Abstract

A cordless iron incorporating a shielded electrical connector. The connector comprises a plug and a socket, the socket having a movable baffle which is held closed when the plug is not engaged with the socket, to isolate the socket's electrical contacts behind a shield section of the baffle. The socket also has a baffle arm, isolated from the shield section of the baffle, by which the baffle may be opened. The plug bears a projection which engages the baffle arm as the plug engages the socket. The socket also has an electrical switch which activates the socket's electrical contacts after the plug is substantially engaged with the socket.

I claim: 
     
       1. A cordless iron having a plug and socket electrical connector, comprising: (a) a plug having at least one electrically conductive plug prong,   (b) a socket engagable with said plug, having a passage comprising one or more apertures and at least one electrically conductive socket contact proximate said passage, said passage adapted to receive at least a portion of said plug prong in a position of engagement with said socket contact,   (c) means for establishing electrical union between said socket contact and a power supply,   (d) a movable baffle supported by said socket, having a shield movable to a closed position intermediate said passage and said socket contact and movable to an open position in which said socket contact is exposed to said passage,   (e) a baffle control arm supported by said socket and cooperative with said baffle, movable to a first position corresponding to said closed position of said shield, and having an engagement surface separate from said shield engagable to move said baffle control arm from said first position to a second position corresponding to said open position of said shield,   (f) means for moving said shield from said open position to said closed position when said baffle control arm is disengaged,   (g) means for moving said baffle control arm from said second position to said first position when said baffle control arm is disengaged, and   (h) a projection carried by said plug separate from said plug prong in a position of alignment with said engagement surface when said plug prong is in alignment with said passage, adapted to engage said engagement surface and to move said baffle control arm from said first position to said second position as said plug prong is moved from said position of alignment toward said position of engagement with said socket contact, whereby said shield is moved to said open position and said socket contact is exposed to said plug prong for engagement to establish an electrical connection between said socket and said plug.   
     
     
       2. The cordless iron claim 1, wherein said baffle comprises a slide assembly movable along a first line generally transverse to a second line along said direction of movement of said plug prong from said position of alignment to said position of engagement, and said engagement surface is angularly offset from said lines. 
     
     
       3. The cordless iron of claim 1, wherein said means for establishing electrical union between said socket contact and a power supply comprises an electric switch between said socket contact and said power supply, means for biasing said switch open, a leg carried by said plug, and a switch control carried by said switch which cooperates with said leg to close said switch as said plug is engaged with said socket. 
     
     
       4. The cordless iron of claim 1, wherein the direction of movement of said shield from said closed position to said open position is generally transverse to said direction of movement of said plug prong between said position of alignment and said position of engagement. 
     
     
       5. The cordless iron of claim 4, wherein said baffle comprises a rotor. 
     
     
       6. The cordless iron of claim 5, wherein said rotor has an axis of rotation generally transverse to the direction of movement of said plug prong between said position of alignment and said position of engagement, and said rotor carries a wall between said engagement surface and said socket contact. 
     
     
       7. A cordless iron having a plug and a socket, comprising: (a) a plug having at least one plug prong and a socket having at least one passage adapted to receive said plug prong and at least one socket contact aligned with said passage arranged to electrically engage said plug prong, said plug prong being locatable in a first, a second, and a third position of alignment with said passage, said positions being progressively more proximate said socket contact, and a fourth position of engagement with said socket contact,   (b) a shield carried by said socket, said shield movable to a closed position in alignment between said passage and said socket contact and movable to an open position out of alignment between said passage and said socket contact,   (c) a shield control arm supported by said socket operative on said shield, located at a position offset from said shield, movable to an initial position corresponding to said closed position and to a final position corresponding to said open position,   (d) a projection carried by said plug at a location offset from said plug prong in alignment with said shield control arm when said plug prong is in said first position, in engagement with said shield control arm when said shield control arm is in said initial position and said plug prong is in said second position, and in engagement with said shield control arm when said shield control arm is in said final position and said plug prong is in said third position, and   (e) means to move said shield to said closed position when said projection is not in engagement with said shield control arm, whereby as said plug is engaged with said socket and said plug prong is moved toward said socket contact, said projection moves said shield to said open position exposing said socket contact to said plug prong to allow engagement of said plug prong with said socket contact.   
     
     
       8. The cordless iron of claim 7, wherein said shield comprises a rotor having an axis of rotation generally transverse to the direction of movement of said plug prong between said second position and said third position, said shield having a cut-out which receives said socket contact when said shield is said closed position and through which said plug prong projects when said plug prong is in said fourth position. 
     
     
       9. The cordless iron of claim 7, wherein said socket contact is connected to a power supply through a switch biased open, said switch having a switch control aligned with said projection when said plug prong is in said fourth position, said socket contact being yieldable to allow said plug prong to move to a fifth position in engagement with said socket contact wherein said projection is in engagement with said switch control. 
     
     
       10. An electric iron assembly, comprising: (a) an iron having an electric heating element,   (b) a first pair of electrical contacts carried by said iron, connected to said heating element,   (c) a stand adapted to removably support said iron, having at least one aperture to receive said first pair of contacts when said iron is supported by said stand,   (d) a second pair of electrical contacts carried by said stand proximate said aperture, which engage said first pair of contacts when said iron is supported by said stand,   (e) means for connecting said second pair of contacts to an electric power supply,   (f) a movable baffle supported by said stand in a closed position between said second pair of contacts and said aperture, and movable to an open position offset from between said second pair of contacts and said aperture,   (g) a baffle control arm supported by said stand operative on said baffle to move said baffle from said closed position to said open position, said baffle control arm located at a position offset from said baffle,   (h) a projection supported by said iron at a location offset from said first pair of contacts, in alignment with said baffle control arm when said first pair of contacts is in alignment with said second pair of contacts, and adapted to engage said baffle control arm, whereby as said iron is lowered onto said stand said projection engages said baffle control arm to move said baffle to said open position to allow said first pair of contacts and said second pair of contacts to engage.   
     
     
       11. An electric assembly compising an iron and a stand adapted to removably support the iron, the iron including an electric heating element and a pair of first electrical contacts coupled to the heating element, the stand including a pair of second electrical contacts engagable with the pair of first contacts when the iron is supported by the stand, the stand also including means for coupling and uncoupling the pair of second contacts with respect to an electric power supply, the stand also including aperture means proximate the pair of second contacts to receive the pair of first contacts when the iron is supported by the stand, the electric assembly also comprising baffle means movable between a closed position adjacent to the aperture means whereby the pair of second contacts are shielded and an open position remote from the aperture means whereby the pair of second contacts are exposed, the electric assembly also including additional means responsive to the placing of the iron on the stand to move the baffle means to the open position and to couple the pair of second contacts with respect to the electric power supply and responsive to the removal of the iron from the stand to move the baffle means to the closed position and to uncouple the pair of second contacts with respect to the electric power supply.